CELSUS in his general mode of argument against the Christians, renders a very important testimony to the truth of their Scriptures: for his charges are not grounded on facts or doctrines, not there recorded; but almost every one of them may be directly traced, to some important and obvious passage of the Bible.
He seemed therefore to consider, that he could most effectually destroy Christianity, by overturning the authority of the writings which the Christians believed to have been delivered to them by inspiration, and which they considered the authority, the guide and the security of their religion.
He acknowledges { 13a} that there were “writings concerning the affairs of Christ made by his disciples;” using the word _disciple_ distinctly from the _follower_ of Christ, and plainly in the sense of the immediate attendant upon his person. Whence may be inferred the general belief, in his time, that the Gospels proceeded from their accredited authors.
He states the Christians to have “preached their doctrines to the poor and wicked, without partiality or respect of persons;” { 13b} a statement admitted by Origen, to be conformable to the genius of the Gospel, and fulfilling its own declarations, “that to the poor the Gospel is preached;” { 13c} and that “Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” { 13d} This statement also proves the Gospel to have been publicly promulged.
He charges the Christians with so “mutilating the Scriptures, that if one expression was attacked they might take refuge in another;” { 14a} but the charge rests alone upon his assertion. Origen confidently challenges any proof of it; imputes the mutilations of Scripture, exclusively, to Marcion and Valentinus; but denies their claim to the title of Christians.
The quotations of Celsus from the New Testament are so numerous, { 14b} that from them a great part of the History of Christ, a statement of his doctrines, his character, and that of his disciples, might be gathered. These quotations are taken from the Gospels, in general, but more particularly from Saint Matthew, from the Acts of the Apostles, from the various Epistles of St. Paul, St. Peter, and St. John. They are so faithful a transcript of our New Testament, as to leave no doubt, that he had it before him. Now and then, however, he mutilates passages, as if to show the contempt in which he held the whole relation. Thus in mentioning the disciples of Christ, he says, “that he took ten or eleven abjects, vile publicans and sailors.” { 15} This error is plainly one, rather of contempt, than of ignorance.